Many of us are hanging out for the day when the National Broadband Network (NBN) first becomes available in our areas, but the network has just passed a different milestone: it has set a switch-off date for the copper network in those locations where NBN fibre is already well-established.
An 18-month countdown to switch-off commences on November 23 2012, which gives a final date of May 23, 2014. On that date, copper services passing approximately 25,000 premises will be switched off. You won’t be forced to connect to the NBN if you don’t want to, but you won’t be able to stick with the copper status quo in those areas. There are plenty of choices for NBN providers.
For reference, these are the main areas affected and the number of premises that have been passed. Self-evidently, this doesn’t cover every household in those locations: if the NBN hasn’t been connected in your street and you live in one of these towns, the 18-month cut-off won’t apply.
| Location | Premises passed |
|---|---|
| Armidale NSW | 5400 |
| Brunswick Vic | 2900 |
| Deloraine Tas | 1300 |
| George Town Tas | 2300 |
| Kiama NSW | 2400 |
| Kingston Beach Tas | 1000 |
| Sorell Tas | 1300 |
| South Morang Vic | 2300 |
| St Helens Tas | 2200 |
| Townsville Qld | 2900 |
| Triabunna Tas | 500 |
| Willunga SA | 1100 |